Eight Self-care actions

Self-care isn't selfish; it is being responsible

It's easy to neglect your own health and needs when you're preoccupied with meeting life's demands and obligations and/or busy reacting to unexpected events or crises that have you off the kilter.

However, the more responsibilities you have; the more trying your situation; the more people you are responsible for; the more you should take good care of yourself.

Self-care isn't selfish; it is being responsible. If you are not well, who do you expect to take care of? Someone else might in turn have to take care of you.

To care for yourself is to affirm your self-worth - a much needed exercise, more so during difficult times when you could be beating yourself up for things that are just not happening despite your best efforts, and feeling weary from constantly fighting to stay afloat, especially if you are fighting alone.

Self-care actions tell your Self that you deserve care and love, and are worthy and valuable, in spite of the lousy situation that you are in now.

So, make sure you devote some time in a day/ week to:

Do something that you enjoy

When all your time is consumed by things that you HAVE to do, not what you WANT to do, joy disappears and every day can feel like an obligation, a dread. Depression could creep in without you knowing at first; the time you realize it is when you are already feeling the symptoms.

You might not feel like doing anything now but there must be something that you love; you're just too weary or you could have conditioned yourself to not think about it because you think you are in no position to do it.

You just need to get started with something to reignite the passion in you and rekindle sparks of joy in your life.

Spend time outdoor, preferably in Nature

Wide spaces make us feel freer and more expansive. And wilderness has a way of grounding people yet fostering the imagination - when you come face to face with the awe-inspiring works of Nature, you expand your ways of thinking and shift your perspectives...magical things can happen.

Exercise

Because your health is worth investing in. When your body feels good, you would likely feel good too.

Better yet, set incremental fitness goals and witness yourself progressing because strong body, strong mind. And vice versa. As you achieve your fitness goals, you gain more confidence in your ability to duplicate the same success in your other life goals.

Socialise with people

Meet up with a few good friends and talk it out over a nice cup of Joe. Often, just talking about our problems or issues helps release much of the tension and/or grievances that we are otherwise bottling all up.

Quiet the mind

Meditate: Sit upright with your feet crossed and focus on your breathing and think of nothing else. This exercise calms your nerves and raises your consciousness so you'd be less reactive but may be more proactive.

Give yourself nice little treats

Enjoy a nice hot bath. Read a good book. Listen to your favourite music. Take a long walk. Because you deserve it.

Take note of the good things that happened around or to you

Amidst all the things that are not going well, I bet there are some things that are going well and which you should be grateful and happy for. Don't focus on what is wrong; focus on what is right. Fill your mind with more positivity than negativity.

Get inspired

If you have internet access, you have access to vast amount of inspirational materials, some of which could lead to ideas that could bring about a breakthrough from your predicament!